Make a better Brussels sprouts salad with tips from a Solvang chef

It’s always lovely to hear about pandemic-era success stories. It was 2019 when chef Michael Cherney and his wife, Sarah, started their own catering company — peasants FEAST — and began doing pop-up events in the Santa Ynez Valley. By April 2020, two weeks after COVID shut everything down, they’d opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Solvang, followed last winter by a peasants Deli & Market directly across the street. And they’re all still thriving.

Among the delicious things on the restaurant menu is this riff on a Brussels sprout salad, which uses shaved organic Brussels sprouts, ricotta salata and apples, all locally sourced. You can find Brussels sprouts in markets year round, but the vegetable is at its best right now. Like the lemons used in the dressing, Brussels sprouts thrive in chilly temperatures.

You’ll find the recipe below, along with some tips from Michael:

• “Gently messaging the Brussels softens them up, so they aren’t as chewy,” he says.
• “This recipe works great with Meyer lemons in season (but) you may need to use less honey since Meyer lemons are so sweet.”
• Don’t substitute ricotta for ricotta salata. “Ricotta salata is a salted and pressed version of ricotta,” he says. “The flavor is much more intense and concentrated since most of the water has been removed.”
• “If you can only find hazelnuts with the skin still on, after toasting them, gently rub the hazelnuts in between your hands to remove the paper-like skin.”

Peasants Feast Brussels Salad

Serves 2 to 4 as an entree

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds whole Brussels Sprouts

1 Granny Smith apple

Fresh lemon juice

¼ pound ricotta salata

¼ pound hazelnuts

Lemon Honey Dressing (see below)

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut each Brussels sprout in half and shave them as thinly as possible using a mandoline slicer or a food processor with the slicer attachment.

Fill a bowl with cold water and a couple drops of fresh lemon juice. Using a mandoline with the largest tooth attachment or a knife, carefully julienne the apple, avoiding the core and seeds. Place the julienned apple into the cold lemon water, to keep them from browning, and set aside.

Spread the hazelnuts in an even layer on a large baking sheet and toast them in the oven until lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes, but watch carefully so they don’t burn. Let cool.

Pulse the cooled hazelnuts in a food processor until lightly chopped or chop by hand.

To assemble: In a large mixing bowl, combine the shaved Brussels sprouts and enough lemon honey dressing to lightly coat. Lightly massage the Brussels sprouts for 1 to 2 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the julienned apple and chopped hazelnuts and toss gently. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or large platter. Use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to shave ricotta salata generously over the top. Serve.

Lemon Honey Dressing

INGREDIENTS

Zest and juice from 2 to 3 lemons

¼ cup honey